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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29726505">A Begrudging Acceptance</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomsandxfiles/pseuds/fandomsandxfiles'>fandomsandxfiles</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Files From the FBI's Most Unwanted [18]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The X-Files</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff, Humor, Queequeg being Mulder's greatest rival, Season/Series 03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 13:42:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>886</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29726505</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomsandxfiles/pseuds/fandomsandxfiles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Scully has to drop Queequeg off at Mulder’s apartment. Nobody seems to be really happy about the situation.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Fox Mulder/Dana Scully</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Files From the FBI's Most Unwanted [18]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2020487</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Begrudging Acceptance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This was not how Mulder expected to spend his Saturday night. Scully just showed up at his door without warning and barely stayed five minutes before she left, but without the little monster she calls a dog. <em>I have a family emergency</em>, she told Mulder, and she had to go away for a few days. </p>
<p>“Couldn’t you get a dog sitter?” he asked as Scully handed him a bag with food and a list of everything he needed to do to take care of it.</p>
<p>“It’s too short notice,” she told him. “And no one else can take him. Please Mulder? It’ll only be for a few days.” </p>
<p>He eventually gave in, because he couldn’t really say no to her, and because it wasn’t like he really had any plans, but he wasn’t too happy about it. He didn’t mind dogs, or animals in general, but him and Queequeg just never got along. Scully didn’t see the same things he saw in the dog, and Mulder had stopped coming around because Queequeg would just bark at him. </p>
<p>Once the door shut and Scully was gone, it was like a switch flipped. The barking wouldn’t stop, no matter what Mulder tried. Food, water, Scully had even thrown a few toys in the bag, but nothing would get Queequeg to stop barking. Mulder was ready to give up by the time the phone rang, and he hoped it was Scully to say she was coming back to get her little demon dog. </p>
<p>“Mulder,” he picked up.</p>
<p>But it was Frohike on the other end of the line. “Hey man, what are you up to?” </p>
<p>“Nothing,” he answered, and Queequeg kept barking. </p>
<p>“Did you get a dog?” Frohike asked. </p>
<p>“No, Scully dropped hers off here because she had a family emergency and had to leave for a few days,” Mulder said. “She left twenty minutes ago and I already can’t handle this.”</p>
<p>He heard Langly’s voice in the background, and then Byers said something as well. “Did you feed it yet?” Frohike asked. “We might be able to give you something that will-” </p>
<p>“Are you suggesting that I drug Scully’s dog?” Mulder cut in. </p>
<p>There was silence on the other end of the line. “So I’ll take that as a no then?” Frohike finally answered. </p>
<p>“I’m not going to drug the dog Frohike.” </p>
<p>“Well then, get used to the barking,” he answered. </p>
<p>Queequeg had stopped barking by the time he hung up the phone, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t causing chaos. His new hobby was jumping on Mulder’s coffee table, effectively knocking over every book, video, and newspaper on there. “Stop that!” Mulder said, but it did absolutely nothing. He took a deep breath. It was only a few days, he reminded himself. Then Scully owed him, big time. </p>
<p>Everything finally calmed down a few hours later, and Mulder was able to feed Queequeg and take him for a short walk. He felt ridiculous walking around with what was essentially a puffball on a leash, but thankfully the dog did his business quickly, and they were able to go back inside.</p>
<p>It was soon after that he realized Scully never dropped off a bed. Queequeg now had taken residence on the couch, but Mulder was not about to forfeit his sleeping space to something that weighs less than 20 pounds, so he looked through his apartment to find some blankets stuffed in one of his closets.  He grabbed a pillow too for good measure and then attempted to make a little nest on the floor across from the couch. </p>
<p>It didn’t look like Queequeg planned on giving up the couch though, because every time Mulder picked him up and placed him on the makeshift dog bed, he never stayed. It was almost comical, how many times Mulder would pick up Queequeg and place him on the nest, and then how many times Queequeg just got right back on the couch before Mulder could lay down. But thankfully, after practically racing him to the couch, Mulder was able to lay down and block Queequeg from his spot. He expected to hear barking, but surprisingly, nothing. By the time Mulder shut off the lights and went to bed, he had almost forgotten about his new housemate. </p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Scully called two days later to tell him that she would be coming to pick Queequeg up, and  that everything was okay with her. Mulder wondered what might have happened, but he didn’t press the topic, because she sounded tired over the phone. He had just finished gathering up all of the things that Scully had brought over when he heard her knock on the door. “It’s open!” he yelled. </p>
<p>When Queequeg saw Scully, he ran over to the door as fast as his little legs would carry him. Scully smiled as he jumped up to greet her, and leaned down to pet him. “How was everything?” she asked him, a skeptical look on her face.</p>
<p>“It was fine,” Mulder assured her. “We’re both still alive, aren’t we?” </p>
<p>“So you’d be willing to watch him again?” </p>
<p>“Not in a million years.” </p>
<p>That earned a laugh from Scully, and he was happy she was home. Not as happy as he was to get that little demon out of his apartment, but happy nonetheless. </p>
<p>
  <em>- the end - </em>
</p>
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